What’s your week looking like? Hopefully this list makes it a whole lot better!
In view this February 2-6 in Los Angeles, you’ll find a new installment of Data + Donuts, First Wednesdays at AoP, LA Opera at CAAM, Transit Equality Day, What A Wonderful World: An Audiovisual Poem at the Variety Arts Theater, The Willows immersive experience, NHM First Fridays, and more.
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Things To Do This Week
M = Less than .5 miles from an L.A. Metro Station, FA = Free Admission, TP = Top Pick
Benson Movie Interruption – M > What’s better than seeing a terrible/awesome movie with your friends and making fun of it while you watch it? How about live commentary from some of entertainment’s funniest movie lovers. This Tuesday at Dynasty Typewriter, Doug Benson hosts a “your choice” version of his Movie Interrupted series with special guests including Drew Carey. Attendees are invited to bring in a Blue Ray / DVD of their choice, and the audience will vote on what to watch before the show begins. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 the day-of. More info here.
Data + Donuts – FA > Data + Donuts is a morning speaker series focused on harnessing data to drive civic change. This Tuesday, Sabrina Davis (Metrolink) and Cody Kraatz (SimplifyTransit) discuss the future of transit communication, including targeted text alerts and the GTFS-ServiceAlerts standard. This collaborative event brings together the City and County of Los Angeles with the local tech community for insights into accessible, sustainable mobility. Doors open for networking at 8 a.m., followed by the presentation. The event is free and includes coffee and donuts. More info here.
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First Wednesdays at AoP -> This Wednesday, join renowned climate scientist Dr. Daniel Swain (of the Weather West blog) at the Aquarium of the Pacific for an engaging talk on California’s shifting weather patterns. Explore the science behind “hydroclimate whiplash”—the increasing swing between extreme floods and severe droughts caused by a warming atmosphere. Following the presentation, enjoy music, crafts, and cocktails in the Art Gallery, or visit the interactive Paint-a-Fish exhibit. The lecture will be held in the Honda Pacific Visions Theater. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 at the door. Starts at 7:30 p.m. More info here.
Transit Equality Day – FA > LA Metro is celebrating the birthday of civil rights icon Rosa Parks this Wednesday by offering free rides across its entire bus and rail system. This annual event, known as Transit Equity Day, honors the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott and reinforces the idea that high-quality public transit is a fundamental right for all. Beyond free train and bus fare, you can use code 020406 for free Metro Bike Share rides and code EQUITY26 for the on-demand Metro Micro service. If you’re a collector, look for the special edition Transit Equity Day TAP cards available at customer centers and select stations for $2. More info here.
The Willows -> From the creators behind Creep JFI Productions, The Willows is an immersive, two-hour theatrical experience that fuses dinner theater with psychological horror, set to open this Thursday. Set inside the historic Beckett Mansion near West Adams, the show welcomes just 25 guests into an intimate (and increasingly unsettling) family gathering. Forget jump scares—this is slow-burn tension at its finest, driven by surreal moments, creeping dread, and performances so convincing you’ll feel pulled straight into the story. Actors stay fully in character and engage directly with guests, making participation part of the thrill. Tickets are $250 per person and routinely sell out. Hosted drinks and hors d’oeuvres are included. Engagements run through March 29. More info here.
LA Opera: An Ode to Black Opera – M FA TP> Celebrate Black History Month this Thursday with a powerful evening of music at the California African American Museum. This collaboration with LA Opera Connects honors the legacy and contributions of Black composers through performances by talented artists including bass-baritone Cedric Berry and soprano Thalia Moore. The program offers a unique opportunity to experience high-caliber operatic performance within a space dedicated to Black history and culture. Free to attend. Starts at 7 p.m. More info here.
Reexamining the “Nation of Immigrants”: The Politics of ICE Enforcement -> Dive into the complexities of modern immigration enforcement this Thursday at the UCLA Luskin Conference Center. This event features a keynote by Attorney General Rob Bonta, followed by a panel of experts from UCLA Law, CHIRLA, and the Center for Neighborhood Knowledge. They will analyze surging ICE arrest data and discuss California’s role in safeguarding immigrant rights through state-level protections. Admission is free, but pre-registration is required. Doors open at 5 p.m.. More info here.
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NatGeo Live -> This Thursday at BroadStage, tag along with National Geographic Explorer and photographer Jaime Rojo for an immersive look at the monarch butterfly’s incredible migration. Fifty years after the discovery of their wintering grounds in Mexico, Rojo shares never-before-seen visuals and stories of the conservationists working to protect this “winged wonder.” This family-friendly presentation offers a deep dive into the intersection of art and science. Tickets start at $45. Event kicks off at 7:30 p.m. More info here.
What A Wonderful World: An Audiovisual Poem – FA TP > Beginning this Friday, the Julia Stoschek Foundation takes over all six floors of the Variety Arts Theater with What A Wonderful World: An Audiovisual Poem, marking the first U.S. presentation of the renowned collection. The immersive exhibition blurs the boundaries between art and cinema, pairing major video works by artists like Marina Abramović, Doug Aitken, Paul McCarthy, and Wolfgang Tillmans with silent and classic films by pioneers including Alice Guy-Blaché, Georges Méliès, Luis Buñuel, and Walt Disney, turning viewers into active participants in a sensory journey. Open Wednesday through Sunday from 5 p.m. to midnight, it’s free to attend—with complimentary popcorn. Runs through March 20. More info here.
NHM First Fridays – M > Celebrate 20 years of First Fridays at the Natural History Museum with a night of music, science, and after-hours exploration this Friday. February kicks off the “Life, From Our Guts to the Galaxy” discussion series, featuring a deep dive into how microscopic life shapes human identity. Catch live performances by headliner Jay Som and Georgia Maq in the North American Mammal Hall, or dance to sets from KCRW DJs Novena Carmel and Wyldeflower among the dioramas. Admission includes access to the Fierce! The Story of Cats exhibition before it closes later this month, plus local food trucks and themed cocktails. Public tickets are $30, though members get in for $20 and enjoy early entry at 5:30 p.m. Runs 6 to 10 p.m. More info here.
First Friday in Bixby Knolls -> Bixby Knolls’ favorite community activation returns to celebrate Black History Month and Bob Marley’s birthday this Friday. The evening features a special lineup including the “African Americans in Rock n Roll” exhibit at the Expo Arts Center and live reggae from Devine Timing and Lovers Bash Sound. Local spots like Ambitious Ales and Lola’s will offer themed food and “Bag Juice” boozy slushies, while KUBO hosts an artist-in-residence opening. Explore over a dozen live music sets and art pop-ups along Atlantic Avenue. Admission is free. Runs 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. More info here.
Dining & Drinking
(picks by Christina Champlin)
Woon Open Market (February 5) -> Woon Pasadena hosts Open Market for a one-night-only pop-up this Thursday, featuring special collaboration dishes like smoked duck bánh mì, tocino pork collar, sinigang wings, and a tofu dessert. The pop-up kicks off at 5 p.m., with Woon’s regular menu available alongside these limited-run specials. More info here.
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Social Club at Gelson’s Hollywood (February 5) -> Gelson’s brings its newly launched Social Club series to the Hollywood Wine Bar for an easygoing evening built around good food, drinks, and conversation. Tucked inside the Hollywood store, the wine bar hosts a grazing-style spread curated by Executive Chef Tony Dang, featuring charcuterie and seasonal cheeses, shrimp cocktail and assorted sushi, French fried chicken, tri-tip skewers, and desserts like cookies, brownies, and Dubai chocolate strawberries. Tickets are $50 per person and include two drinks (wine, craft beer, or non-alcoholic). Seating is limited, and RSVPs close February 3. More info here.
Endorffeine Goes on Hiatus (Month of February) -> Jack Benchakul’s James Beard–nominated Endorffeine coffee bar in Chinatown heads into its annual March hiatus, giving you a final four-week window to linger over rare espresso Mondays, single-origin pours, and some of the most sought-after coffees in the world. Now’s the time to sip while you can. More info here.
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